Key Words:Titanium compounds;Charge transfer - Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy - High resolution transmission electron microscopy - Hydrogen - Hydrothermal synthesis - Light - Molar ratio - Photocatalysis - Photocatalytic activity - Photoelectron spectroscopy - Potassium hydroxide - Scanning electron microscopy - Single crystals - Strontium titanates - Ultraviolet spectroscopy - X ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Abstract:Visible-light-driven Cr-doped SrTiO<inf>3</inf> nanocubes were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method in alkaline KOH conditions. X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the samples, and the Cr-doped SrTiO<inf>3</inf> possess cubic morphology with about 30-50 nm in size, and single-crystal feature. In addition, the Cr-doped SrTiO<inf>3</inf> extended light-harvesting properties to visible-light region which was testified by UV-vis absorption spectra, and excellent charge transfer and separation efficiency were approved by photo fluorescence spectra (PL), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and photocurrent response measurements. Among the synthesized photocatalysts, SrTiO<inf>3</inf> nanocubes doped with 2% Cr by molar ratio exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity, achieving 11.66 μmol of H<inf>2</inf> evolution during 5 h visible-light irradiation. This study provides a facile and effective way to enhance the performance of SrTiO<inf>3</inf>-based photocatalysts.<br/> © 2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.

Volume:7

Issue:1

Translation or Not:no